The Deluge: An Historical Novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. Vol. 2 (of 2)

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

  CHAPTER LV.

  It is written in no book how many battles the armies, the nobles, andthe people of the Commonwealth fought with the enemy. They fought inforests, in fields, in villages, in hamlets, in towns; they fought inPrussia, in Mazovia, in Great Poland, in Little Poland, in Russia, inLithuania, in Jmud; they fought without resting, in the day or thenight.

  Every clod of earth was drenched in blood. The names of knights, theirglorious deeds, their great devotion, perished from the memory; for thechronicler did not write them down, and the lute did not celebratethem. But under the force of these exertions the power of the enemybent at last. And as when a lordly lion, pierced the moment before withmissiles, rises suddenly, and shaking his kingly mane, roars mightily,pale terror pierces straightway the hunters, and their feet turn toflight; so that Commonwealth rose ever more terrible, filled with angerof Jove, ready to meet the whole world. Into the bones of theaggressors there entered weakness and fear; not of plunder were theythinking then, but of this only,--to bear away home from the jaws ofthe lion sound heads.

  New leagues, new legions of Hungarians, Transylvanians, Wallachians,and Cossacks were of no avail. The storm passed once more, it is true,between Brest, Warsaw, and Cracow; but it was broken against Polishbreasts, and soon was scattered like empty vapor.

  The King of Sweden, being the first to despair of his cause, went hometo the Danish war; the traitorous elector, humble before the strong,insolent to the weak, beat with his forehead before the Commonwealth,and fell upon the Swedes; the robber legions of Rakotsy's"slaughterers" fled with all power to their Transylvanian reed-fields,which Pan Lyubomirski ruined with fire and sword.

  But it was easier for them to break into the Commonwealth than toescape without punishment; therefore when they were attacked at thepassage, the Counts of Transylvania, kneeling before Pototski,Lyubomirski, and Charnyetski, begged for mercy in the dust.

  "We will surrender our weapons, we will give millions!" cried they;"only let us go!"

  And receiving the ransom, the hetmans took pity on that army ofunfortunate men; but the horde trampled them under hoofs at the verythresholds of their homes.

  Peace began to return gradually to the plains of Poland. The king wasstill taking Prussian fortresses; Charnyetski was to take the Polishsword to Denmark, for the Commonwealth did not wish to limit itself todriving out the enemy.

  Villages and towns were rebuilt on burned ruins; the people returnedfrom the forests; ploughs appeared in the fields.

  In the autumn of 1657, immediately after the Hungarian war, it wasquiet in the greater part of the provinces and districts; it was quietespecially in Jmud.

  Those of the Lauda men who in their time had gone with Volodyovski,were still somewhere far off in the field; but their return wasexpected.

  Meanwhile in Morezi, in Volmontovichi, in Drojeykani, Mozgi, Goshchuni,and Patsuneli, women, boys, and girls, with old men, were sowing thewinter grain, building with joint efforts houses in those"neighborhoods" through which fire had passed, so that the warriors ontheir return might find at least roofs over their heads, and not beforced to die of hunger.

  Olenka had been living for some time at Vodokty, with Anusia and thesword-bearer. Pan Tomash did not hasten to his Billeviche,--first,because it was burned, and second, because it was pleasanter for himwith the maidens than alone. Meanwhile, with the aid of Olenka, hemanaged Vodokty.

  The lady wished to manage Vodokty in the best manner, for it was to bewith Mitruny her dowry for the cloister; in other words, it was tobecome the property of the Benedictine nuns, with whom on the very dayof the coming New Year poor Olenka intended to begin her novitiate.

  For after she had considered everything that had met her,--thosechanges of fortune, disappointments, and sufferings,--she came to theconviction that thus, and not otherwise, must be the will of God. Itseemed to her that some all-powerful hand was urging her to the cell,that some voice was saying to her,--

  "In that place is the best pacification, and the end of all earthlyanxiety."

  She had determined therefore to follow that voice. Feeling, however, inthe depth of her conscience that her soul had not been able yet to tearitself from the earth with completeness, she desired first to prepareit with ardent piety, with good works and labor. Frequently also inthose efforts echoes from the world hindered her.

  For example, people began to buzz around that that famous Babinich wasKmita. Some contradicted excitedly; others repeated the statement withstubbornness.

  Olenka believed not. All Kmita's deeds, Kmita and his service withYanush Radzivill, were too vividly present in her memory to let hersuppose for one instant that he was the crusher of Boguslav, and such atrusty worker for the king, such an ardent patriot. Still her peace wasdisturbed, and sorrow with pain rose up afresh in her bosom.

  This might be remedied by a hurried entrance to the cloister; but thecloisters were scattered. The nuns who had not perished from theviolence of soldiers during wartime were only beginning to assemble.

  Universal misery reigned in the land, and whoso wished to take refugebehind the walls of a convent had not only to bring bread for personaluse, but also to feed the whole convent.

  Olenka wished to come with bread to the cloister,--to become not merelya sister, but a nourisher of nuns.

  The sword-bearer, knowing that his labor was to go to the glory of God,labored earnestly.

  He went around the fields and the buildings, carrying out the labors ofthe autumn which with the coming spring were to bear fruit. Sometimeshe was accompanied by Anusia, who, unable to endure the affront whichBabinich had put upon her, threatened also to enter the cloister, andsaid she was merely waiting for Volodyovski to bring back the Laudamen, for she wished to bid adieu to her old friend. But more frequentlythe sword-bearer went with Olenka only on these circuits, for landmanagement was irksome to Anusia.

  A certain time both rode out on ponies to Mitruny, where they wererebuilding barns and cow-houses burned in time of war.

  On the road they were to visit the church; for that was the anniversaryof the battle of Volmontovichi, in which they were saved from the laststraits by the coming of Babinich. The whole day had passed for them invarious occupations, so that only toward evening could they start fromMitruny. In going there they went by the church-road, but in returningthey had to pass through Lyubich and Volmontovichi. Panna Aleksandrahad barely looked at the first smoke of Lyubich when she turned asideher eyes and began to repeat prayers to drive away painful thoughts;but the sword-bearer rode on in silence, and only looked around. Atlast, when they had passed the gate, he said,--

  "That is land for a senator! Lyubich is worth two like Mitruny."

  Olenka continued to say her prayers.

  But in Pan Tomash was roused the old landlord by nature, and perhapsalso he was given somewhat to lawsuits; for after a while he saidagain, as if to himself,--

  "And yet it is ours by right,--old Billevich property, our sweat, ourtoil. That unfortunate man must have perished long since, for he hasnot announced himself; and if he had, the right is with us." Here heturned to Olenka: "What do you think?"

  "That is a cursed place," answered she. "Let happen with it what may!"

  "But you see the right is with us. The place was cursed in bad hands,but it will be blessed in good ones. The right is with us."

  "Never! I do not wish to know anything of it. My grandfather willed itwithout restriction; let Kmita's relatives take it."

  Then she urged on the pony. Billevich put spurs also to his beast, andthey did not slacken speed till they were in the open field. Meanwhilenight had fallen; but there was perfect light, for an enormous red moonhad risen from behind the forest of Volmontovichi and lighted up thewhole region with a golden shining.

  "Well! God has given a beautiful night," said the sword-bearer, lookingat the circle of the moon.

  "How Volmontovichi gleams from a distance!" said Olenka.

  "For the wood in the houses ha
s not become black."

  Their further conversation was interrupted by the squeaking of a wagon,which they could not see at first, for the road was undulating; soon,however, they saw a pair of horses, and following behind them a pair ata pole, and at the end of the pole a wagon surrounded by a number ofhorsemen.

  "What kind of people can these be?" asked the sword-bearer; and he heldin his horse. Olenka stopped at his side.

  "Halt!" cried Billevich. "Whom are you carrying there?"

  One of the horsemen turned to them and said,--

  "We are bringing Pan Kmita, who was shot by the Hungarians atMagyerovo."

  "The word has become flesh!" said Billevich.

  The whole world went around suddenly in Olenka's eyes; the heart diedwithin her, breath failed her breast. Certain voices were calling inher soul: "Jesus! Mary! that is he!" Then consciousness of where shewas or what was happening left her entirely.

  But she did not drop from the horse to the ground, for she seizedconvulsively with her hand the wagon-rack; and when she came to herselfher eyes fell on the motionless form of a man lying in the wagon. True,that was he,--Pan Andrei Kmita, the banneret of Orsha; and he was lyingon his back in the wagon. His head was bound in a cloth, but by theruddy light of the moon his pale and calm face was perfectly visible.His eyes were deeply sunk and closed; life did not discover itself bythe least movement.

  "With God!" said Billevich, removing his cap.

  "Stop!" cried Olenka. And she asked with a low but quick voice, as in afever: "Is he alive or dead?"

  "He is alive, but death is over him."

  Here the sword-bearer, looking at Kmita's face, said: "You will nottake him to Lyubich?"

  "He gave orders to take him to Lyubich without fail, for he wants todie there."

  "With God! hasten forward."

  "We beat with the forehead!"

  The wagon moved on; and Olenka with Billevich galloped in the oppositedirection with what breath was in their horses. They flew throughVolmontovichi like two night phantoms, and came to Vodokty withoutspeaking a word on the road; only when dismounting, Olenka turned toher uncle,--

  "It is necessary to send a priest to him," said she, with a pantingvoice; "let some one go this moment to Upita."

  The sword-bearer went quickly to carry out her wish; she rushed intoher room, and threw herself on her knees before the image of the MostHoly Lady.

  A couple of hours after, in the late evening, a bell was heard beyondthe gate at Vodokty. That was the priest passing on his way with theLord Jesus to Lyubich.

  Panna Aleksandra was on her knees continually. Her lips were repeatingthe litany for the dying. And when she had finished she struck thefloor three times with her head, repeating: "Reckon to him, O God, thathe dies at the hands of the enemy; forgive him, have mercy on him!"

  In this way the whole night passed for her. The priest remained inLyubich till morning, and on his way home called at Vodokty. Olenka ranout to meet him.

  "Is it all over?" asked she; and could say no more, for breath failedher.

  "He is alive yet," answered the priest.

  During each of the following days a number of messengers flew fromVodokty to Lyubich, and each returned with the answer that the banneretwas "alive yet." At last one brought the intelligence, which he hadheard from the barber brought from Kyedani, that he was not only alive,but would recover; for the wounds were healing successfully, andstrength was coming back to the knight.

  Panna Aleksandra sent bountiful offerings to Upita for a thanksgivingMass; but from that day messengers ceased to visit Lyubich, and awonderful thing took place in the maiden's heart. Together with peace,the former pity for Kmita began to rise. His offences came to her mindagain every moment, so grievous that they were not to be forgiven.Death alone could cover them with oblivion. If he returned to health,they weighed on him anew. But still everything that could be brought tohis defence Olenka repeated to herself daily.

  So much had she suffered in these days, so many conflicts were there inher soul, that she began to fail in health. This disturbed Pan Tomashgreatly; hence on a certain evening when they were alone, he said,--

  "Olenka, tell me sincerely, what do you think of the banneret ofOrsha?"

  "It is known to God that I do not wish to think of him."

  "For see, you have grown thin-- H'm! Maybe that you still-- I insist onnothing, but I should be glad to know what is going on in your mind. Doyou not think that the will of your grandfather should beaccomplished?"

  "Never!" answered Olenka. "My grandfather left me this door open, and Iwill knock at it on the New Year. Thus will his will be accomplished."

  "Neither do I believe at all," answered Billevich, "what some buzzaround here,--that Babinich and Kmita are one; but still at Magyerovohe was with the country, fought against the enemy, and shed his blood.The reform is late, but still it is a reform."

  "Even Prince Boguslav is serving the king and the country now,"answered the lady, with sorrow. "Let God forgive both, and especiallyhim who shed his blood; but people will always have the right to saythat in the moment of greatest misfortune, in the moment of disasterand fall, he rose against the country, and returned to it only when theenemy's foot was tottering, and when his personal profit commanded himto hold to the victor. That is their sin! Now there are no traitors,for there is no profit from treason! But what is the merit? Is it not anew proof that such men are always ready to serve the stronger? Wouldto God it were otherwise, but Magyerovo cannot redeem suchtransgression."

  "It is true! I cannot deny it," answered Billevich. "It is a bittertruth, but still true. All the former traitors have gone over in achambul to the king."

  "On the banneret of Orsha," continued the lady, "there rests a stillmore grievous reproach than on Boguslav, for Pan Kmita offered to raisehis hand against the king, at which act the prince himself wasterrified. Can a chance shot remove that? I would let this hand be cutoff had that not happened; but it has, and it will never drop away. Itseems clear that God has left him life of purpose for penance. Myuncle, my uncle! we should be tempting our souls if we tried to beatinto ourselves that he is innocent. And what good would come of this?Will conscience let itself be tempted? Let the will of God be done.What is broken cannot be bound again, and should not. I am happy thatthe banneret is alive, I confess; for it is evident that God has notyet turned from him His favor altogether. But that is sufficient forme. I shall be happy when I hear that he has effaced his fault; but Iwish for nothing more, I desire nothing more, even if my soul had tosuffer yet. May God assist him!"

  Olenka was not able to speak longer, for a great and pitiful weepingoverpowered her; but that was her last weeping. She had told all thatshe carried in her heart, and from that time forth peace began toreturn to her anew.